Various electronic devices are available to users. Users access to various types of content from various types of electronic devices, such as a portable phone, an MP3 player, a Portable Multimedia Player (PMP), and an e-book reader. Diverse functions, including a camera function, a music video playback function, a multimedia playback function, and game paying function, as well as wireless transmission and reception of data, are integrated in these electronic devices. Owing to the portability, convenience, and multimedia functions of electronic devices, users may use them in diverse environment, both indoors and outdoors. As a consequence, a large number of users carry electronic devices daily.
Such an electronic device is provided with a display on its front surface to provide multi-functions. Many smartphones have a display occupying almost the entirety of its front surface, the display being responsive to a touch.
As described above, an electronic device may have various modules to allow a user to use various types of content as well as a voice call. In addition, the electronic device may have an odor detecting module, i.e., an odor detector.
Odor detectors, such as a gas/Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) sensor, may sense scent, odor, temperature, humidity, or other ambient air conditions, have been developed. An odor detector may be configured as a standalone device or in electrical or mechanical connection within an electronic device. If the odor detector is provided as a standalone device, the odor detector may sense scent, odor, temperature, humidity, or other ambient air conditions around it and may display the sensed information on a separate display window. On the other hand, if the odor detector is operated in connection to an electronic device, the odor detector may sense scent, odor, temperature, humidity, or other ambient air conditions around a user and may display the sensed information or its equivalent information on the electronic device.
In the case where the odor detector operates standalone, the odor detector should be provided with a display through which the user may view information about the ambient environment (odor, scent, temperature, humidity, or other ambient air conditions) and equipped with various parts for driving the display and displaying the sensed information on the display, such as a power supply, driver, and backlight. Due to these requirements, the size and cost of the standalone odor detector is increased.
On the other hand, in the case where the odor detector is connected to an electronic device, the odor detector may be connected to a connection port for power supply or data transmission and reception, or a connection port like an ear jack. In this case, the odor detector protrudes outward from the electronic device through the connection port, which makes the electronic device less portable and degrades an outer appearance of the electronic device. Moreover, if the electronic device connected to the odor detector is dropped or impacted, a connector of the odor detector or the connection port of the electronic device is vulnerable to damage. To use the odor detector, the odor detector must be connected to the electronic device. Frequent attachment and detachment of the odor detector to and from the electronic device increases the risk of breakage of the connector of the odor detector or the connection port of the electronic device.
If the odor detector is provided inside the electronic device, the odor detector is limited in its effectiveness in collecting ambient environment information such as odor, scent, temperature, humidity, or other ambient air conditions. As a consequence, data is difficult to detect accurately and data accuracy is decreased.
The above is presented to assist with an understanding of one or more exemplary embodiments. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to one or more exemplary embodiments.